One year after the state of children’s oral health in England was first exposed, government action has led to modest improvements—but millions of young children continue to suffer from preventable dental issues.
Analysis of the latest government data shows that 26.9% of five-year-olds in England have tooth decay, a condition linked to high sugar consumption.
Children in the most deprived areas are more than twice as likely to experience decay as those in wealthier regions. In West Yorkshire alone, nine schools lost 950 school days in a single year due to dental problems.
The report, Improving Children’s Oral Health Update, compiled by the Universities of Leeds and Sheffield under the Child of the North initiative, praises government measures over the past year, including a national supervised toothbrushing programme and bans on selling high-caffeine energy drinks to children and on pre-9pm junk food advertising. However, access to NHS dental care remains poor.
Professor Mark Mon-Williams, editor of the report, said: “The number of children with rotten teeth reflects a wider decline in child wellbeing affecting millions across the UK.” Baroness Anne Longfield of the Centre for Young Lives called for a national plan, adding: “Far too many children continue to suffer, particularly in deprived areas.”
Earlier this year, health ministers rolled out a supervised toothbrushing programme aimed at 600,000 children, reaching 240,000 so far in nurseries and primary schools. Water fluoridation expansion in the North-East is also underway.
Tooth decay is now the leading cause of hospital admissions for children aged five to nine. NHS England data show 21,162 children were admitted in 2024/2025 for decay, compared with 13,667 for acute tonsillitis.
Dr Charlotte Eckhardt of the Royal College of Surgeons called it “a public health emergency,” emphasizing that decay is preventable with simple daily habits and better NHS access.
The Department of Health and Social Care said: “We inherited a broken NHS dental system but are fixing it through our Plan for Change.
We are rolling out 700,000 extra urgent dental appointments, reforming the NHS dental contract to focus on prevention, and providing millions of free dental products to families.”
Dentists also warn against popular oral care fads. Dr Ben Atkins, trustee of the Oral Health Foundation, says hot water with lemon can erode enamel, while charcoal, apple cider vinegar, and oil pulling can damage teeth without offering meaningful benefits. Dr Rhona Eskander adds that these remedies do not improve smiles and can be harmful over time.
